Oktoberfest is coming to the Mornington Peninsula, with Jetty Road Brewery transforming its Dromana venue into a German-inspired beer hall for three days of steins, live music, competitions and plenty of food from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 October. The free-entry celebration will feature long tables, German decorations and a lineup of limited-edition brews created especially for the weekend. Beer lovers can choose from a German Pilsner, Helles Lager, Hoppy Lager and Dunkel, or sample the selection with an Oktoberfest beer paddle. There’s plenty happening across the three-day celebration, with Friday kicking things off with the first 100 guests receiving…
Author: Melbourning
Melbourne’s sweetest weekend is returning to Queen Victoria Market, with the Melbourne Donut Festival bringing two days of jam-filled, chocolate-covered and seriously inventive treats to the CBD this October. The free festival will take over the Market’s C and D Sheds from 9am to 4pm on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October, with 18 donut and dessert traders serving up everything from classic jam donuts and French crullers to mochi donuts, Greek loukoumades and flame-brûléed creations. Three new names will join the festival line-up this spring: Mixed Bag will make its debut with handcrafted marshmallows and donut-inspired hot and iced…
Arts Centre Melbourne’s Ian Potter State Theatre has reopened to audiences following its first major refurbishment since opening in 1984, with the 2000-seat theatre returning six months ahead of schedule. The theatre reopened on Saturday 3 October after closing in March 2024 for extensive upgrades as part of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation project. The refurbishment by Melbourne’s NH Architecture and Norway’s Snøhetta has improved accessibility, comfort, lighting and sound while retaining the heritage design created by legendary Australian designer John Truscott. Arts Centre Melbourne Chief Executive Officer Karen Quinlan, AM, said she was thrilled to welcome audiences back. “With…
Opera Australia will unveil a spectacular new production of Puccini’s La Bohème at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre this November, marking the company’s first new mainstage production of the beloved opera in 15 years. Running from 7 to 18 November, the World Premiere will transport audiences to a wintery 20th century Paris, inspired by the painters, poets and musicians of the era. One of Australia’s most exciting young opera directors, Constantine Costi, leads a creative team including Set Designer Dann Barber, Costume Designer Sabina Myers and Lighting Designer Morgan Moroney. The production promises plenty of theatrical spectacle, with a flying balloon basket,…
Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul will tour Australia and New Zealand together for the first time, with an intimate In Conversation show coming to Melbourne next January. The pair, who played Walter White and Jesse Pinkman in the acclaimed AMC series, will share the stage in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland for a behind-the-scenes look at one of television’s most celebrated dramas. According to the announcement, “Bryan and Aaron will be on stage together to talk about how the show was made, what it gave to each, and what it took out of them. They will…
Sydney Theatre Company’s Olivier and Tony Award-winning production of The Picture of Dorian Gray will return to Melbourne in 2027, with a strictly limited season at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Ian Potter State Theatre from 7 to 18 September. Kip Williams’ acclaimed cine-theatre adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s classic novel will star Nikki Shiels, who previously performed as the alternate performer during the production’s 2022 Sydney and Melbourne seasons. Shiels will take on all 26 characters in the production, combining live performance with film, stagecraft and technology in a demanding theatrical feat. The production will also visit Sydney and Brisbane as part…
If you’re craving a bowl of noodles after dark, Bowltiful is making a strong case for adding hand-pulled Lanzhou noodles to your late-night Melbourne rotation. The CBD favourite specialises in noodles made fresh to order, with chefs pulling the dough by hand in full view of diners before adding it to bowls of rich, aromatic beef broth. Bowltiful follows the traditional Lanzhou principle of Yi Qing, Er Bai, San Hong, Si Lü, Wu Huang, bringing together clear beef broth, white radish, red chilli oil, green garnishes and golden noodles in every bowl. The broth is prepared fresh each day and…
Melbourne is getting a new attraction where reality can be bent, perceptions can be challenged and nothing is quite what it seems, with Museum of Illusions set to open in the CBD in 2027. The world’s largest privately owned museum chain has announced plans to open Museum of Illusions Melbourne at Collins Arcade, 260 Collins Street, in mid-2027. It will be the second Australian location for the interactive museum, following the Sydney site which opened on Boxing Day 2025. Museum of Illusions Melbourne will feature immersive installations, optical illusions and multisensory experiences designed to entertain visitors while exploring the science…
Hayley Williams is bringing her solo show to Australia for the first time, with The Hayley Williams Show set to take over Melbourne’s Forum on Wednesday 17 February 2027. The Paramore frontwoman will also play Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on Wednesday 10 February, with the two Australian dates following a run of sold-out shows across North and Central America. The intimate shows will draw from across Williams’ three solo albums, with the singer promising a set that also leaves room for surprises. The tour has already generated plenty of attention overseas, with dates at venues including New York’s Forest Hills Stadium…
After four years of touring Australia and overseas, IKEA WARS is returning to Melbourne Fringe, where the chaotic comedy show first began. The cult favourite sees New Zealand comedian Kieran Bullock take on the roles of host, referee and chaos-maker, challenging two contestants to build IKEA furniture against the clock while throwing plenty of obstacles into their path. It is less straightforward flatpack assembly and more a competitive game show, with added challenges, forfeits and hurdles standing between contestants and the coveted title of champion of Sweden, a title that is, importantly, not officially recognised by the Swedish government. IKEA…
Baz Luhrmann’s iconic Romeo + Juliet is coming to Melbourne in a spectacular film concert next May, with the entire 1996 movie screening at the Palais Theatre alongside a live band performing its unforgettable soundtrack. William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet Film in Concert will mark 30 years since Luhrmann’s genre-bending take on the Shakespearean tragedy first reached cinemas. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes remain at the centre of the story as doomed lovers Romeo and Juliet, while the film’s score and soundtrack will be recreated live by a hybrid ensemble. The production brings together rock and orchestral musicians, vocalists, electronics…